Have you ever heard of Babelcube? The website claims their crack team of Babelers provide, "the easiest way to sell a book in new languages", and that appears to be true...but only if you're the author of the original story, and not one of the translators. Once an agreement is signed, the translators have to work a lot, whereas the original author(s) are required to do very little, not that their book has been written.
At least, that's how Glynn explained it to me. As I remember the conversation, he said something like, "Wouldn't it be great to have some of our stories available in other languages?" and -- when that didn't sway me -- he went with, "It's easy money, babe. We list a few of our stories on their site, someone asks us if they can translate 'em, and we just enjoy the sweet, sweet royalties" and -- when that didn't sway me, either -- he tried, "I'll set everything up. I'll do it. Please?"
He had me. I'm a sucker for "please", especially when the request is accompanied by someone else volunteering to do all of the legwork.
(If you're wondering, the header to this post is intended to read: Glad you stopped by today. Being a bit behind in my Portuguese language studies, I don't know if it actually does read this way. If someone has been messing with Google Translations, it may actually read, Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.)
Once I'd given my approval, Glynn got to work. He did whatever it was he needed to do, then expressed vague disappointment a few days later when we weren't messaged by a flood of French, Japanese, Dutch and Afrikaans translators. Since vague disappointment isn't an unusual state in any household, especially this one, we continued on with our other writing challenges.
Then, one fine day, Babelcube told us that Karla Marques V. was interested in translating our words. She wasn't the first to make such a request; Glynn had already turned down a Spanish translation of One Bride for Seven Brothers and a different Spanish translator for World War Zelda. Those folks seemed nice, he told me, but they didn't have the chops for the gig.
KMV, though, wanted to do a Portuguese take on WWZelda, and her sample page was impressive. We signed up, Karla was professional throughout, and the translation rocks. (Or so we're told. We know people who know people, and they've said she did a sweet job.) Once everything was finished, Babelcube began contacting the different sales channels. As of two weeks ago, there were twelve different sites featuring Guerra Mundial Zelda, including Apple and Amazon.
I don't know if anyone's bought a copy yet, but you'd best believe I haven't forgotten Glynn's promise of easy money. One way (via Karla's translation) or another (meet Glynn, your new Wal-Mart greeter), I expect to see some green.
At least, that's how Glynn explained it to me. As I remember the conversation, he said something like, "Wouldn't it be great to have some of our stories available in other languages?" and -- when that didn't sway me -- he went with, "It's easy money, babe. We list a few of our stories on their site, someone asks us if they can translate 'em, and we just enjoy the sweet, sweet royalties" and -- when that didn't sway me, either -- he tried, "I'll set everything up. I'll do it. Please?"
He had me. I'm a sucker for "please", especially when the request is accompanied by someone else volunteering to do all of the legwork.
(If you're wondering, the header to this post is intended to read: Glad you stopped by today. Being a bit behind in my Portuguese language studies, I don't know if it actually does read this way. If someone has been messing with Google Translations, it may actually read, Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.)
Once I'd given my approval, Glynn got to work. He did whatever it was he needed to do, then expressed vague disappointment a few days later when we weren't messaged by a flood of French, Japanese, Dutch and Afrikaans translators. Since vague disappointment isn't an unusual state in any household, especially this one, we continued on with our other writing challenges.
Then, one fine day, Babelcube told us that Karla Marques V. was interested in translating our words. She wasn't the first to make such a request; Glynn had already turned down a Spanish translation of One Bride for Seven Brothers and a different Spanish translator for World War Zelda. Those folks seemed nice, he told me, but they didn't have the chops for the gig.
KMV, though, wanted to do a Portuguese take on WWZelda, and her sample page was impressive. We signed up, Karla was professional throughout, and the translation rocks. (Or so we're told. We know people who know people, and they've said she did a sweet job.) Once everything was finished, Babelcube began contacting the different sales channels. As of two weeks ago, there were twelve different sites featuring Guerra Mundial Zelda, including Apple and Amazon.
I don't know if anyone's bought a copy yet, but you'd best believe I haven't forgotten Glynn's promise of easy money. One way (via Karla's translation) or another (meet Glynn, your new Wal-Mart greeter), I expect to see some green.
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